Fun Was Had By All....

A Night Of Surprises!
Justin Hines, we introduced him in the last post, encouraging our fellow town folk to attend his concert. Well, we made it and wow, what a blessing that evening was.

Not only is he an incredibly talented Canadian singer, he is, as we suspected, a deep, sincere,  and meaningful person! You can tell that when you watch him sing and listen to his lyrics. And well, when you actually meet him! Surprise!  On our way to the venue, my husband Craig, my Dad and myself, were about to walk through the parking lot and spotted the "Vehicle of Change" RV and who was coming out of it? Justin and his beautiful wife, Savannah. (Hope I have her name spelled correctly)

Guess who my Dad, husband and I got to meet prior to the concert?

That was one of a few surprises that night. The first one was, we didn't know until we bought tickets and read them, that Justin was touring with a duo who call themselves "Ash and Bloom." Unaware, we googled them and were glad to learn that we'd enjoy them as well. Turned out A & B were sincere, deep and meaningful also! Oh and our first thoughts, "they remind us of Simon and Garfunkel!"
Capturing A Great Evening
Wanting to capture this once in a life time event (for us) and to make a tribute to Justin and now, Ash and Bloom, I came with my handy dandy, compact digital camera...mission accomplished. Check out the edited version  here.

Side Bar: Adaptive Video and Photography Pointers
I made my usual amateur video. I apologize for the wobbles and shakes. When I make videos my arms aren't able to move beyond my chest level, which means, I point and shoot and hope it works! Been doing it this way ever since my arms stopped cooperating. Hey, it's all about adapting as you go. The invention of the compact digital camera has definitely been a blessing. It means less weight to hold and that I can take pictures without being able to hoist the camera up to my eye. TO me, a camera can feel like it weighs a pound, so that's definitely a plus.
After doing it so much, you get a good sense of what you are pointing at. So to anyone who has given up on taking photos, due to physical limitations, don't. There's always a way to make it work when you really want to accomplish something. In fact, I have even seen adaptive tripods that can mount to your wheelchair arm rests or the frame. It's a perfect option for those who have restricted mobility such as myself, or those who want to take some seriously steady video without your viewers requiring one of those little bags they give you on an airplane. (you know the ones I mean ;O)
All things considered, I think wobble and all, the essence of the evening was captured.
Sharing What We Love With Who We Love
Do you ever have that feeling when you discover a painter, read a book or hear a musician you adore, that you then, want those you care about to watch, read or listen too! Well, that's how we feel about Justin. So, aside from emailing everyone we knew about the event, turned out my parents and Craig's sister and her husband were able to join us.
Not only did they enjoy Justin and Ash and Bloom, but as you will see in the video, A & B wanted to "go deep" as they said and sing about, "old love,"  celebrating marriages that have been together for a long time. Knowing that my parent's are coming up to their fiftieth wedding anniversary on October 12th, I was thrilled to have them say that. The fellas asked who has been married for five...ten...twenty...thirty and fifty, or more years. With great excitement I looked toward my parents and they had their hands up! You will have to watch the video to find out what happened next. Needless to say, that was surprise number three of the evening.
What a great time!
Thanks Guys!
Craig and I just want to encourage anyone who has the opportunity to listen to or watch Justin and Ash and Bloom, to do so. We hadn't been out in the evening, well, since...can't even remember.

We typically spend the evenings watching a movie or a favourite dvd, relaxing and...oh, how does that song go...."take a load off your fanny...." Yah, we spend it doing that! Seriously, the older that Craig and I get, our ROHO cushions can't comfort our aging, painful backsides. (I know too much information, but those of you in our position, will know what I mean.) This evening was worth any ach or pain that arose, in fact, we were enjoying it all so much, forgot about the pain. What a great pain reliever!

So long Justin and Ash and Bloom, you are in our prayers and we know the rest of your tour will be wonderful. Thanks for sharing your voices and hearts with us. Make sure you look us up if you are ever in our fair city again! God bless you.

Thank You God!
And thank you God for causing us to learn about the concert and for introducing us to Justin, the year the Ontario Tourism promo came out! We didn't need to discover Ontario, You knew we needed to discover Justin Hines!
Lay Your Burdens Down
For those of you who face challenges 24/7, be they invisible or visible, the road may be bumpier at times, heck, even loaded with pot holes and these days, sink holes. And there may be days when you don't have the energy or motivation to even get out of bed. Trust me, I know that feeling. But because God makes Himself known to us, to me, in so many ways, through the Jesus, and even through the lives of individuals like Justin Hines, Joni Eareckson Tada, Nick Vujcic and my husband Craig - my temptation to feel self pity and discouragement is abated. Not saying I never walk down that path of discouragement, but when I am tempted to, or while I have been hiking down it, He reminds me, yet again....
Philippians 4:13 NKJV - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Matthew 11:28 NKJV - "Come to Me, all [you] who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  "For My yoke [is] easy and My burden is light."

Justin Hines - Take a Listen, You Won't Be Disappointed

 A fews years back an Ontario tourism promo was on our television. Immediately, I noticed a young fellow who was using a wheelchair singing the the song for the video. When you use one yourself, you notice these things. I was so impressed with his vocals and looked him up on the internet. Within minutes, I became a Justine Hines fan. Bonus, he's from Ontario, Canada!
Justin is a singer, songwriter who is a humble artist that views his different abilities as an opportunity for something positive, not as a negative. Loving that attitude, he is an inspiration to my husband and me and we were thrilled to learn that he is coming to our city in two days!
Just want to spread his life and music around, not just to our friends who may want to see him with us - but to whoever stumbles upon this blog.
Here's to you Justin, We wish you well.
Here are some playlists and web links to learn more about Justin.
Justin Hines Inspiring Life

"Courage" Video

"Say What You will"

Justin Hines Documentary Short

Justin Repels Down Hotel in Wheelchair

"Lay MyBurdens Down" video

Justin Is Coming To Thunder Bay, August 20th, 2013!!
Hines is playing at the Italian Cultural Centre on Aug. 20. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $10 and available at the Baggage Building, March of Dimes, MEDIchair, Painted Turtle, Print Pros Plus, SHIFT YPN office and the Thunder Bay Transit office.
Where We First Saw/Heard Justin Hines!

Abortion Survivors?

Before I complete part two of the story, I wanted to share the links to one incredible woman, we were "introduced" to via YouTube, about a month ago.
First of all, did you know that people have survived abortion attempts? We didn't know that until last year sometime, thanks to the internet. It is truly a remarkable miracle, as horrifying as it is to know that a child was meant to die at the hands of health care "professionals," to learn that a baby, who is the target of a murder attempt, actually survives, wow!
In many cases, if you do research, you will see, as we did, that there are clinics and such, that actually place the alive infants on a shelf to pass on, just leaving them there unattended. Here are some links to these stories: "The Crime of Being Alive, The Abortion Survivors, An Inconvenient Life
Sad and inconceivable, that is for sure. So meet Gianna. She will cause anyone who believes abortion is just a "choice" and a "right" of women, to hopefully at least, think twice before making a life ending decision. Gianna, survived a saline abortion and was saved by a nurse, God sent, who noticed she was alive. As a result, Gianna was born with mild Cerebral Palsy, something she calls a gift and a personality that outshines many. Thankfully, she shares the light that God gave her, which why we can all "meet" her.
To meet Gianna, click here.

Heroes...

Knowing how much the lives of others can inspire and encourage us when we are facing crises of all types, I want to share a few video links to the story of Joni Eareckson Tada. Click on her name for one, and here are two more links to more awesome videos that feature her incredible life: #1 and #2
Joni's life has encouraged and inspired me for more than thirty years. Her diving accident, like others with spinal cord injuries, was sudden, without warning; she went from walking upright to sitting down; from full sensation to full paralysis from the neck down, in mere seconds. Her life story and a pile of other bio-videos produced by Joni's ministry, "Joni and Friends," created to inspire all, regardless of where they are at in life, will be posted in the coming days.

My Hero on Earth: Joni
No, I don't endorse that as a believer in Christ, we are to idolize anyone. But I do believe that God works through certain people, providing what He knows we need to learn. Listen to this: Even when I had no clue about why we were on this earth, ignoring Jesus and living for my self, facing incredible bouts of depression because I was terrified of death, God was always taking care of me. Try that some time, look back to your earliest memories and recount the many times that you know things could have went way worse than they did, making it evident that we weren't as alone as we believed we were.
Having a younger sister who had become a Christian at the age of eleven, meant I would be exposed to a variety of musical artists like Amy Grant, Michael W Smith and of course Joni Eareckson (before she was married to Ken Tada). Joni's voice was beautiful, as an aspiring singer (in my own head), I remember singing along with her, at the top of my lungs in my bedroom.

It was her open and blatantly honest autobiography about her diving accident in1967, that really caused me to have someone I could receive inspiration and encouragement from. I may not have suffered a spinal cord injury like her, but I did stop walking when I was thirteen years old and knew that my muscles would continue to weaken until one day, I wouldn't be able to fight off a lung illness that would lead to premature death (so "they say.) As well, like Joni, I too longed to be a visual artist ever since I could hold a pencil, and, I may never have recorded that album, but every time I could, I loved singing my heart out into my hair brush. Needless to say, that when her movie came out in theaters everywhere, (I was about twelve years old at the time) I connected with her in a way that would last right up until this day. Funny how that can happen with someone you may never actually meet on this earth!

Joni herself, would never want anyone placing her on any pedestals and that's something that I would never desire to do. Because of her godly teaching and her willingness to be so open about her life, it is clear to all that God uses her life to touch millions around the world. As the years progressed, after the movie came out, she opened a ministry directed toward others living with all types of disabilities and their families, called, "Joni and Friends." As a single woman myself during the time I was reading her book called Choices, Changes, all about all that she dealt with while making the "Joni" movie, and how then the development of the Ministry happened, and her struggles with relationships and her desire for one, she didn't know it and may never know it, but her words helped me to know I was not alone. By then I became a believer, so reading her raw, truthful books, so often helped soothe my lonely aching heart. When I got to the section of the book about how this wonderful, handsome man named Ken Tada, entered her life and how much he loved Jesus Christ too, my heart was all a flutter. I re-read that book more than a couple of times. Joni underwent many times of physical suffering as her thin bones would cause brutal pressure sores that would result in months of bed rest. When I read about how this dear man, built her an easel that would cause her to be able to paint in bed, it was obvious what real love was and why she had to say yes when he proposed to her. 

My teenage years were spent compromising myself, body, mind and soul, always desiring love and acceptance but never finding it because I was living a lie, blind to the Truth. The interesting thin is, I had heard God's Truth, I was aware but it was as if I never heard a word. At that point I was even familiar with Joni's story because of her books and the movie that came out when I was only twelve or so! The point I am trying to make is how amazing it is, when I look back, how God permitted me to make a lot of really rotten decisions and yet, He made sure that I was hungering for meaning, showing me lives like Joni's. It is as if the answers were presented when I was much younger, but because He knows what it will take for us to drawn close to Him and what we need to go through for purposes that we may never know - He didn't let me "see" until my early twenties. If I didn't make so make many lousy choices through all those years and if I didn't live this life that He pre-ordained, I wouldn't have this story to tell that points to the absolute Truth of Jesus Christ.

 I wouldn't change a thing, all the pain is worth it all because it lead to Jesus' loving and healing arms. Joni too, knows why too, to draw her near to Him and to be used to bless many. What a gift to know that about pain and suffering, both emotional and physical. Yes, God can heal and restore without us, but He chooses to let us be a part of all that He planned long ago.
We all must admit that, if we are battling something like drug addiction, and a well meaning someone tries to tell us they understand, but they have never experienced any type of addiction, just how not helpful that is. That is why for some, support groups work. Not a fan of those myself, but I get why they exist. For me, just being able to read about or listen to someone's story, like Joni and the others I will post soon on this blog, are what God uses to inspire and encourage me. All the more reason to believe that we are not to hide all that God has done in our lives, we have been blessed and we are to pass the blessings on.

We are told in God's Word that the Body of Christ, the church, is the body of believers in Christ. It is made up of many parts and Jesus is the Head of the Body. Just like our awesomely created human body parts, all work together to function, the Body of Christ is to work together, building each other up, to function well. One big mistake is when we join in with the self focused, narcissistic world that exists today. If we follow Christ, we are to prefer others above ourselves, being His hands and feet in so many ways-sharing our lives, glorifying our Heavenly Father.
Thanks to God providing my earthly hero, (not idol) Joni, He  touches my heart in the darkest times as the enemy tries to tempt me with that old foe, self pity. As I face each new day, I remember what I read from Joni, talking about how she, like myself, sometimes just doesn't have it in her to smile when she knows her "get up girls" are coming to help her out of bed. There are days when you just wish you could be alone with your husband, free from needing anyone else's assistance - no matter how thankful you are for the great ladies who help you. Joni speaks about how she asks God to be her smile for the girls that morning because she doesn't have one and of course, He does just that! Her prayer has become mine as well. Because I was blessed with reading about her honest struggles, that one paragraph alone has impacted how I handle those tougher days!
Thank you Lord, for the lives of others that You use to encourage us with. May my life be used the same way!